Shimokitology
Alto Majo / Tokyo+


AltoMajo:
(You) We are AltoMajo, creative magicians, nocturnal spirits, urban conspirators. We exist as one (heterogenous) group, the AltoMajo tribe, fluidly assembling and dissembling opportunistically. During the day we wander, get lost, play, party, experiment, challenge our senses. By night we convene to discuss, connect, debate and create. We build one multidimensional collective work, within which paradoxes and conflicts are encompassed.

Context:
Shimokitazawa has multiple identities all converging into one present urban actualization. These are evident in representations such as maps, urban form, live performance, street fashion and art. The permutation or manipulation of these according to systematic probing methods allows us to explore the latent potential of Shimokitazawa. What is the deep identity of Shimokitazawa? What urban trauma, contradictions, and fragmentations prevent its harmonious self-development? How does organic growth compete with intervention from the outside? How do manifestations of culture within Shimo relate to economic and political powers influencing it now?

Aim:
- To develop a visionary strategy for action within Shimokitazawa that can both illuminate latent potential and inspire positive, proactive development within the masterplan.
- To represent this in a multimedia installation to be exhibited at the Cultural Typhoon Symposium.

Method:
The method consists of three stages that shape AltoMajo's collaboration:

•  Sensation (Day 1)

The aim of this stage is to build an understanding of Shimo upon which to base further proactive interventions and interactions.

We experience the city through our senses. The senses are then processed by individual psychology, past experience, social and cultural context. Experience in the urban realm involves ongoing interpretation of sensations according to these changing influences.
In small groups (or individually if preferred) we will explore the urban environment of Shimokitazawa using a sensation-based approach. To do this we will fix one (abstract) rule. This might involve focusing on a modality of sensing, a system for generating a path through the city, or a way of conceptually breaking through existing tendencies, e.g. habitual pathways, social etiquette, public-private boundaries and so on.
From here we develop 'maps' that symbolically represent the phenomenon, concept, system that was discovered or focussed upon through the experience. Here a 'map' is defined as an arbitrary, yet internally consistent representation of a phenomenon or system in an abstract way, i.e. using a code or symbolic representation. Maps can be built using any media (photo, film, audio, sketch, collage, animation, narrative etc).

•  Action (Day 2)

The aim of this stage is to use the maps developed in (1) to realise actions within Shimo.

In this stage, we act directly on the environment through the production of events, and document these. The documentation and the event can be merged. We acknowledge that we are part of what we observe.
The maps developed in (1) are used to develop hypotheses about patterns or anomalies found through the sensation-based mapping process. Based on these, we propose actions that can be used to test these hypotheses. Actions are realised as 'micro events' in which the urban environment is transformed in some way by AltoMajo.
The meaning and purpose of an action is developed according to the map: on one hand, it might simply affect sensory perception, or on the other, it might be used to highlight the unrealised potential of Shimokitazawa on a social, cultural, or economic level. Micro events are recorded and documented in any chosen media to later be used to contribute to stage (3).

•  Creation (Day 3)

The aim of this last stage is to develop a multimedia installation that integrates our findings and visions for Shimokitazawa.

Collective creation is the ultimate goal of AltoMajo: we will mesh together our experiences and visions for Shimokitazawa in a multimedia installation, respecting their incoherences and contradictions. The details of this stage will be decided together at the end of day 2.

Schedule:
26/6 Mon               4pm: meet at Alley Hall;   11pm: meet at Never Never Land (NNL)
27/6 Tues             Groups have own start time,    7pm dinner together,     9pm: meet@ NNL
28/6 Wed              Groups have own start time,     7pm dinner together,     9pm: meet@ NNL
29/6 Thur              Unfixed start time,    2pm: meet@ NNL;     7pm presentation & party
30/6 Fri                  Final installation preparation
1/7    Sat                9.30 to 11.30 and 12.30 to 2.30: presentations at CT Symp., Party

Location:
Initial meeting on 26/6: Alley Hall
Otherwise: Never Never Land

Things to bring:

Laptops with animation, web, film, VJ or music editing software etc    

Cameras and video-cameras

Storage devices (external hardrives, DVDs)

Sketchbook/note book